Bleach Action Fan-Fiction
Plot: Many years after the thousand year blood war arch, Ichigo now serves as the Head Captain of the Gotei 13. He governs over a time of relative peace, and his closest friends Rukia and Renji serve as Captains beside him. One day, a young man stumbles out of the forest and crawls before the gates of Rukongai before collapsing in exhaustion. Guards rush to his aid, but are put on guard by one strange feature, a large, western looking zanpakuto. The man's wounds are quickly treated, and he is put into captivity. Ichigo is notified of this, and personally goes so see the young man. As they speak, the mystery Shinigami reveals a secret that could jeopardize the very existence of the soul society.
Author Notes: I may have taken liberties here and there, and added characters of my own in order to make a story unique to my creative ideas. By pairing the original characters with new ones that I have created, I feel as if I can provide a whole new dynamic to this story.
UPDATE: Changed the format to make it easier to read, enjoy!
I do not own bleach. This is a non-profit, fan-fiction.
Act 1:
Ichigo works at a feverish pace in an attempt to finish the massive stack of paperwork before him. Even after five years as the Head Captain of the Gotei 13, he has not yet grown fully accustomed to the workload. He runs his fingers through his orange mane in frustration, as he stares hopelessly at the daunting task before him. "Damn it I'm tired," he mutters under his breath before pulling another page from his work pile. Just as he begins to fill out the form, a knock comes at his door. Relishing the idea of a possible distraction, he calls for the person awaiting his approval to enter. With light feet, Byakuya enters the chamber, low and behold holding yet another stack of papers in his palm. Ichigo sinks in his chair at the sight, before meeting eyes with the Captain of Division 6. "
Yo Byakuya, what do you have for me this time?"
Byakuya's eyes flash in disapproval before responding, "Must you address me in such an informal manner Kurosaki?"
The Head Captain leans back in his chair as he stares blankly at the ceiling. "*Tsk* I've never cared about formalities,"
Ichigo responds as flatly as he can. The black haired Captain simply nods in response and lays the documents before him.
"These plans for a new training facility need your approval, simply provide your signature and I'll be on my way Kurosaki."
"You say I'm too informal. It'd be nice to be called Head Captain for a change you know…" Ichigo mutters in annoyance as he skims over the documents. Byakuya allows a slight smirk to slip at this remark, before returning to his usual stoic expression.
"Well, everything looks to be in order, anything else you need?"
"Not at this moment, thank you for your time." Byakuya grabs the documents and begins to exit, before stopping at the doorway. Ichigo notices this and stares questioningly at the white-robed Shinigami. Byakuya turns back to Ichigo, bows slightly, and says "I hope the rest of your day finds you well, Head Captain." Ichigo throws his hands up in celebration and allows a wide grin to spread across his face.
"NOW WAS THAT SO HARD?!" Byakuya smirks again as he turns to take his leave. Knowing that he can no longer shirk his responsibilities no longer, he returns to his work. His grin has faded, but a slight smirk replaces his usual scowl. As much as he hates to admit it, Byakuya has grown on him over the past few years. Although he rarely gives words of encouragement or any signs of approval for that matter, he has been an irreplaceable asset to the young Shinigami since he accepted the position at the head of the Gotei 13. In fact, Ichigo has found every Captain to be of great use during his transition into his new role. It's nice that old friends serve at his side as well. Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai have both ascended to Captain Status under his stead. Renji now stands at the head of Squad 3, and Rukia of Squad 4. Ichigo takes a moment to reflect on how close he has become with his subordinates before finding a renewed motivation to continue his work.
After a few hours of grinding away at the pile, and many, many hand cramps, Ichigo decides to retire for the evening. He rises from his chair and stretches his stiff muscles, relishing the feeling of the tension slowly uncoiling. Ichigo strolls lazily over to the massive doors and pushes them open as he begins to leave. Just as he does so, he sees a young girl standing before him in a trainer Shihakusho. Her large green eyes grow wide at the sight of the Head Captain, as a mix of amazement and terror shoot across her face. Ichigo cannot help but be surprised at such a sight, as he usually doesn't come into contact with many young/low ranking Shinigami anymore. The two stand completely in shock, as neither were really prepared for such an encounter.
Quickly regaining his composure Ichigo asks, "And how may I help you?"
The girl immediately bows as she clamps her palms together. The girl shakes with nerves as she attempts to choke out the message she was sent for. "C….Ca….Captain Kenpachi…ordered me to…to….tell you…uhhh..." the girl trails off as she tries to gather her thoughts. Ichigo sighs as he drops to one knee, and rests a hand atop the trembling girls head as he rustles her golden locks. Her head jolts upward in response to the sudden contact, but her nerves begin to subside as she sees the softness in the Head Captain's eyes.
Ichigo uses the warmest tone he can muster as he asks the girl, "Firstly, how about we properly introduce ourselves. I am Ichigo Kurosaki, it's a pleasure to meet you. And your name is?" The girl suddenly lights up, as she stands star struck before Ichigo.
In as big of a voice as she can muster, she states proudly, "My name is Hanako Koizumi! It's a pleasure to meet you Head Captain!" She bows again, before rising to deliver her message. "Captain Kenpachi requests your presence at the House of Correction immediately." She sighs heavily in relief of the fact that her task is done.
Ichigo ponders this for a moment before asking the girl, "and why would Kenpachi send you to deliver this message?"
The girl smiles weakly before responding, "He said that his men don't need to be bothered with stupid things like delivering messages, that's what useless academy runts are for."
"Well," Ichigo begins, "Could you do me a huge favor and tell him that I am very busy at the moment?"
The little girl giggles nervously as she delivers the rest of the message. "You see, the funny thing is he actually thought you might say that, so he told me to tell you that he is not asking, but demanding your presence. Sorry Ichigo."
The orange-haired Shinigami suppresses a groan from this most unwelcome news, instead opting to give the girl a small bow as thanks for her work. The girl smiles as wide as her cheeks allow, as she bids Ichigo well and skips down the hallway. "Hanako," He calls after her, "Wait one moment." She stops so suddenly that the poor girl almost loses her balance. After flailing about in an attempt to keep herself upright, she turns back toward the Head Captain as he approaches her. Ichigo steps to her side as he makes his request. "The walk to the House of Correction is pretty long, and I wouldn't mind having someone to talk to on the way. Would you mind keeping me company Hanako?" The girl's eyes shine like diamonds as the excitement overwhelms her.
"YES MR KUROSAKI I WOULD LOV… Uhhh…*clears throat*…it would be an honor Head Captain Kurosaki." The girl blushes in embarrassment for a time from her outburst, but it quickly fades as they begin to chat. The girl babbles on and on about the academy, her friends, her favorite hobbies, how her studies are going, all as Ichigo simply listens and walks. He nods and smirks on occasion to reinsure the girl that he is listening, and for her to continue. The stroll is much more enjoyable with her company Ichigo concludes, as Hanako tells him a rather humorous story about one of her fellow classmates and a Kido accident. Long story short, one of the boys in her class is now bald. Ichigo chuckles as he imagines another Ikkaku running around Seireitei. The minutes melt away quickly, and before either one notices, they are standing before the massive building known as the House of Correction. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a massive man approaching with long powerful strides. Ichigo turns just in time to greet Squad 11 Captain Kenpachi Zaraki.
"Hey, Ichigo! When are we going to have another serious fight? I've been thinking and I think I want to take your job for myself." Hanako slowly slides behind Ichigo's leg in an attempt to hide herself from the terrifying Shinigami Captain.
"Please tell me that isn't the reason you brought me all the way out here Kenpachi," Ichigo snorts in utter annoyance.
"Of course not, we can save the fun for later Ichigo, right now there is a matter that needs your attention. When on patrol outside Rukongai's main gate, some of my men found a young man lying out cold and real beat up on the road. When they approached him, they noticed a weird looking zanpakto strapped to his back. Thinking he was a rogue Shinigami, they brought him here to avoid any possible threat. And before you jump all over my ass about it, yes I got a Rukia to come over and heal the damn kid."
"So why did you send for me if you handled everything yourself?" Ichigo asks. "When the kid woke up, he went ballistic, and let me tell ya his Reiatsu was nothing to scoff at. I was hoping he would try to escape so I could take him on myself, it would've been a blast." This captured Ichigo's full attention, and he immediately demanded Kenpachi to continue. "We took his zanpakto and chained him up while he was still unconscious, so he presented no real threat. But the way he kept screaming and carrying on about seeing you annoyed the hell out of me. Damn kid did it for so long it gave me a headache, so I promised him you'd come so he'd shut the hell up."
"Thank you, I'll handle it from here Kenpachi, so go have fun making little kids cry or whatever it is you do in your free time." Ichigo proceeds through the front entrance of the House of Correction, Hanako hot on his heels. Before the door closes, he hears a blood-curdling laugh followed by a single, terrifying sentence.
"You still owe me a fight Ichigo, I'll be waiting." Ignoring the slight chill running up his spine, Ichigo continues onward down the main hallway. He immediately heads for the infirmary, knowing that Rukia is still probably waiting for him there. Upon entering, he finds her cleaning the table she had used to treat the rogue Shinigami's wounds. She turns to greet him while she finishes pulling the blood-stained linens from the operating bench.
"Hello Ichigo, looks like you got a little shadow." He turns to find Hanako still standing behind him. She smiles at him as she gives him a timid wave. In all honesty, he had completely forgotten that she was there with the commotion.
Ichigo turns back to Rukia and jabs, "You of all people can't go calling others little, midget." She stares daggers at him before offering a rebuttal of her own.
"Are you really going to judge other people by appearance strawberry?"
A scowl spreads across the Head Captains face in response to hearing that hated nickname again once. He had thought that he had left that horrid nickname in the past, turns out that he thought wrong. His scowl only deepens as the little girl standing behind him begins to giggle uncontrollably.
He turns to her and asks, "Just whose side are you on anyway?" Her smile runs from her face, and she looks down at her feet in regret. Rukia sees this and immediately attempts to comfort the girl.
"Oh Ichigo, you're such a fool. It's well known that girls stick together, isn't that right hun?" The little girl perks up again and gives Rukia a sweet smile. Knowing that there is business to attend to, Ichigo decides that it is time for her to leave. "Thank you so much for keeping me company on my walk Hanako, it was really nice having company for such a long walk. There are some important things that Captain Kuchiki and I have to take care of, so could you head back to the academy now? I'm sure all of your friends are starting to worry about where you are." The little girl tries to hide her disappointment as she reluctantly agrees to his request. "Now there's no need to be upset, you can come visit me in my office anytime. It may be stuffy and kinda boring, but I would love for you to keep me company!" The girl nods rapidly in agreement, before turning and bowing to Rukia.
"My name is Hanako Koizumi! It was a pleasure meeting you Captain Kuchiki!"
The Squad 4 Captain cannot help but smile as she responds sweetly, "And it was lovely meeting you little one, good luck with your studies and I hope to see you soon." The girl nods one last time and gives another flashy smile, before quickly trotting from the Infirmary and down the hall. Both Rukia and Ichigo wait until they hear the door close behind her. Unable to contain herself, Rukia turns to Ichigo while displaying a mischievous smile.
He notices this and questions, "What? Stop smiling like that it's really creepy."
She stands on her tiptoes in order to get as close to his face as possible before joking, "Well you can't blame me for being surprised Ichigo. When were you planning on telling me that you started a daycare?"
Ichigo rolls his eyes as he tries to ignore her barb rather unsuccessfully. Rukia immediately notices the scowl on his face deepen, and she knows she has won. She enjoys winning the first real battle of wits between the two in years. Still, she can't allow herself to leave things as they are. Rukia smiles up at Ichigo as she decides to express her true thoughts about the situation. "She's a sweet little girl Ichigo, and it's nice to see that you are still the same kind boy I met all those years ago. The Head Captain Position carries a lot of power, and that power can corrupt even the strongest of men, but not you. You're still the same caring, considerate, overprotective, moody brat that saved me back then." Ichigo can't help but blush a little from the unexpected praise, and he quickly tries to shift the attention back to Rukia.
"Where the hell did that come from a midget? When did you become such a sap?"
She dawns a scowl of her own, and swiftly kicks Ichigo in the shin while shouting, "Well excuse me for actually offering you a compliment for once Ichigo! Don't you worry your little orange head over it though, I'm sure you'll never give me a reason to compliment you again!" The two Shinigami lock eyes as rage flashes within their retinas. They stay in a deadlock, neither one so much as blinking for minutes on end. However as the time passes, they find themselves struggling to not laugh at the absurdity that was their "argument". Finally, it becomes too much to bare, and the two old friends begin to howl with laughter. Both relish in the fact that they can act like their old selves again, without having to worry about judgment from others. Almost every meeting that has taken place between the two of them has been strictly business since Ichigo took up the position of Head Captain. This was to be expected, but still not accepted. Neither would admit it, but both secretly longed for the days of hourly banter and constant companionship.
They relish in the afterglow of their rekindled friendship for a short time, before eventually shifting their focus to the business at hand.
"Ok, unfortunately, we both have a job to do, so would you be so kind as to tell me about our new guest?" Ichigo requests, his face returning to its usual scowl. Rukia collects her thoughts for a moment, before presenting her findings.
"His Reiatsu is at a level that rivals even our strongest captains, and his zanpakto is like none I have ever seen. It's shape, it's feel, just all wrong. It has the look of a released zanpakto, similar to yours, yet when I had it examined by Squad 12, they insisted that it is in its sealed form. And that's just the start of it, things got even stranger as I treated his injuries believe it or not. As I healed him, I couldn't help but notice an abundant amount of scars covering most of his body. Everything from lacerations to puncture wounds and severe burns, it was hard to look at. At first, I simply assumed that he had received these wounds in battle, but then I noticed how precise the placement of the scars really were. The burns cover only soft fleshy areas while the lacerations cover his shins and forearms. The placement of these inflictions were selected based off of two major factors. The areas that would yield the most pain, yet present no danger to his life. The same can be said for his puncture wounds. Every puncture was far from any vital organs or arteries, ensuring no risk of him bleeding out. Basically, I am saying that this man was badly tortured, by very cruel and very experienced men." The two continue to walk side by side as she explains further. Ichigo's head spins as the plot of this very odd story continues to thicken.
He pulls open the door leading to the cell room, Rukia closely in tow.
"Which cell?" Ichigo asks.
"Third one on the left, he's the one with the dark brown hair."
Ichigo approaches the cell slowly, taking in the appearance of the man. He appears to be quite young, probably around the same age as Rukia. He is a well-built man, with scars that run all the way up his exposed arms. His hair is messy and at about mid-length, covering the majority of his eyes. He looks downward, refusing to stir despite the presence of the two standing before his cell.
"And you are?" the man asks in a gruff tone.
Ichigo attempts to ignore the rude greeting, and steps closer to the cell while stating, "I am Ichigo Kurosaki, and from what I've heard you've been through quite a bit for the opportunity to speak with me."
Upon hearing Ichigo's name, the man lifts his head and locks eyes with the Head Captain. Ichigo feels uneasy the more he stares into the man's eyes. Within them, he finds no softness or emotion. They are not the eyes of a friend, or even of a soldier. No, these are the cold eyes of a killer. The young man rises slowly from his seat and walks as far forward as his restraints allow. Rukia grows tense as she rests a hand upon her zanpakto hilt, squeezing it in preparation for the worst. Ichigo's muscles tighten, but he does not budge. He knows that he cannot afford to show any sign of weakness, not to a man such as this.
"I have but one request before I tell you what I came here for, and that is for you to release me from these chains. I do wish to speak with you Kurosaki, but not as we currently are. I have done nothing wrong, yet I am caged as if I am some wild animal. Unlock these chains, and allow me to speak with you as your equal, not as your prisoner."
The two stand no more than a few steps away, only separated by chains and bars. Their eyes remain locked, as both test the resolve of the other.
"Rukia, unlock his cell."
The raven haired Shinigami's eyes grow wide with disbelief as she turns to her old friend.
"Are you crazy Ichigo, we know nothing about this man! All we do know is that he is a Shinigami, one that we have no record of! Unlocking that cell puts not only us but everyone within Seireitei in danger! I cannot accept such an ord…"
Rukia is stopped mid-sentence by soft hand coming to rest upon her shoulder. She looks up at Ichigo to find him giving her a stern look.
"It will be fine Rukia, I promise I won't allow anything to happen."
She opens her mouth to protest further but is stopped as she feels the hand Ichigo had rested upon her shoulder slightly tighten. Knowing that he is not about to budge, she bites her lip in order to keep herself from protesting further. With quick steps, the small woman darts away from the cell for a short time, before returning with a set of keys. She fiddles with them as she tries to find the correct key to unlock the cell door. It doesn't take her long to select the proper key for the lock. She slides the silver key into its slot before turning the gears. The lock clicks free as she twists the key the rest of the way. She then proceeds to slowly open the gate, all the while looking back at Ichigo, hoping for him to change his mind. Instead, he gives her a reassuring nod as she opens the gate the rest of the way. Once the gate is fully opened, Rukia pulls the keys free from the lock and hands them to Ichigo. Her grip on her zanpakto tightens further as she watches Ichigo approach the menacing looking inmate. Ichigo shows no hesitation as he frees the prisoner of his restraints, all the while keeping a close eye upon him.
As the shackles drop from his hands and wrists, the man lets a sigh of relief slip free. Not allowing a moment to go to waste, Ichigo takes the man by the arm and begins to lead him from the cell.
"There is a conference room down the hall, we shall have our discussion there."
The man gives no response but follows Ichigo's lead as he is escorted away from the cells. They enter the well-lit room and Ichigo immediately gestures for the man to take a seat. Again, he gives no response, but willingly walks to the chair and sits down. Ichigo takes the chair across from him, resting his elbows upon the table separating the two before he begins his questioning. "Now, care to tell me who the hell you are?" The man leans back in his chair, stretching out slightly before once again locking eyes with the Head Captain.
"My name is Josiah, and I have come to warn you about an impending danger that could mean the end of the Soul Society."
This immediately captures Ichigo's attention, his eyes flashing with both shock and intrest.
"That's quite a claim you just made Josiah. Now just who or what is coming to do harm to my people?"
Josiah's eyes grow dark as horrid memories swell within his mind. "What is coming for Seireitei cannot be prepared for. A wave of death the likes of which you cannot comprehend is coming for this city and everyone in its wake is in danger."
Ichigo slams his fists upon the table, as he becomes agitated with Josiah's lack of detail.
His voice booms within the small room as he shouts, "Stop telling me shit I don't need to hear, I asked you what is coming for the Soul Society, that's it! I don't need doom and gloom, I need specific information about what we are gonna be up against!"
Josiah stares blankly at the enraged Ichigo, as he doesn't so much as flinch at the sudden outburst.
"Fine, here are the specifics then. A group of madmen that call themselves the Tartarus led by a crazy bastard who goes by Cronus is preparing to invade Seireitei."
Ichigo thinks for a moment, before asking, "And what makes you so sure they will succeed?"
"These are men and women who were abducted against their will soon after entering the Soul Society. They were then tortured for weeks on end, far past their breaking points. This left Cronus with broken, malleable minds to do with as he pleased. He proceeded to brainwash his victims, drilling into them a single goal, the destruction of the Soul Society."
"Why, what motive could this "Cronus" possibly have for destroying the Soul Society?"
Josiah scratches the thin stubble on his chin before answering, "Because he was once one of you. He went mad after being banished from the Soul Society."
"Why was he banished?" Ichigo continues to press.
"Behind closed doors, he paid thugs to abduct people within the Soul Society so he could continue his experiments. He targeted anyone who recently entered Rukongai, as it was unlikely that anyone would notice their disappearance. He believed that he could create in essence the "perfect" Shinigami, the ultimate death god. Cronus would subjugate his victims to gruesome experiments, manipulating and straining their Soul in order to extract its full potential. He was fastly approaching what he believed to be a breakthrough when his actions were discovered. He was forcibly removed from Seireitei, and all documentation of his research were destroyed. The Gotei 13 wanted no record of the gruesome details from the experimentation to ever see the light of day."
Ichigo hangs on every word, as his mind races to process all of what Josiah is saying.
"How could you possibly know all of this?" Ichigo asks his suspicions beginning to grow.
The man looks down, and a look of what almost resembles shame overtakes his face. "I know because I served under him."
Rukia, who had been listening to the entire conversation from the doorway rushes in just as the last words leave his lips. She unsheathes her blade and presses it against Josiah's neck, ready to slit his throat upon the slightest provocation. Ichigo quickly rises from his chair and demands Rukia to stop. She stills her blade but does not move it from its place against his jugular.
"He is the enemy Ichigo, he said so himself! It's obvious now that his injuries were self-inflicted! He planned to use them to gain access into Rukongai! Once he awoke in his cell, he made a huge fuss and demanded to see you. He then waited for you to release him from his cell so that he could get his opportunity to kill you!" Rukia screams, her voice cracking from the strain on her vocal chords.
Before Ichigo can respond, Josiah begins to speak.
"That is not why I came, but if you must, then you may kill me."
Rukia freezes, unable to process the words coming from her adversary's mouth. She watches as Josiah's hard emotional shell begins to weaken. A hint of sadness emerges in his previously stoic tone as he begins to speak.
"At this point, I would welcome death. I have grown tired of bearing my sins for so long, it would be a relief to be rid of them. My existence in this world has been for the sole purpose of murder, and I no longer wish to pursue that purpose. Many of my friends have died by my hand, all by the order of that bastard Cronus. I no longer wish to be his dog of war, I am tired of being a monster. My message has been delivered, so as I see it, I have achieved what I set out to do. Kill me if you wish Rukia, you would be doing no wrong by doing so."
Rukia's hands shake as an internal conflict wages within her. Slowly, she pulls the zanpakto away from Josiah's throat and slides it into her sheath. Ichigo gasps as he forces air back into his lungs. He had been holding his breath during the entire ordeal. The raven haired Shinigami looks down upon Josiah, watching as his eyes struggle to hide the guilt within his soul. An untrained eye could not possibly see the pain within his expression, but having experienced great loss and regret of her own, Rukia knows all too well the look of a soul masking their sorrow. With a shaky voice, she apologizes for her actions. Josiah nods in response but does not say a word. Ichigo, who still wishes to know more, reluctantly continues to press him for answers.
"I'm sorry, but we both know there is more to discuss. The safety of the Soul Society lies in the balance. So please tell me, what makes you so sure they can win against our defenses? Do they really have Shinigami that can stand against our Captains?"
Josiah thinks for a moment, trying to find the proper words to explain. "You remember the reason why Cronus was banished, correct?" A feeling of absolute dread comes over Ichigo as this chain of words reaches his ears.
"You're not saying what I think you're saying…" Josiah's jaw tightens as he takes a ragged breath.
"Tell me damn it! Did he or did he not succeed in his experiments?!" The scar riddled man grits his teeth as he finally offers Ichigo an answer.
"No, he did not succeed in creating the perfect Shinigami. What he made in its stead is something far, far worse."
Ichigo sits and listens intently, drinking in every word despite the anxiety and fear that continues to grow within him.
"Cronus' experiments manipulate the soul, magnifying the Reiatsu within his subjects to almost impossible levels. Those who had little Reiatsu attained power that rivals that of the average Shinigami. As you can imagine, there is a heavy price for attaining such ability. His subjects often lost any humanity and all humanity that may have remained in these tortured souls. They became twisted and wild, like rabid beasts. This fate was inevitable for all of his subjects unless you had a naturally high level of Reiatsu. Those with high levels of Reiatsu were able to resist the brunt of the side effects from his experimentation. However, we were not completely immune. The incredible amount of Reiatsu we attained is tainted. It is a demonic power fueled by desire and emotion. While we kept our mind, not all of us kept our sanity. Most of those who received this immense power became corrupted by it. They allowed the power to manipulate, and completely overtake their minds. It made them into murderous beasts filled with an unquenchable bloodlust and a complete disregard for life. The monsters that were born from his experiments fit perfectly with Cronus's vendetta. Knowing that the title of Shinigami would not fit our nature, Cronos decided to give his experiments a new name, one more fitting to our twisted nature. We are not Shinigami Ichigo, we are Titans. He did not make the Ultimate Death God, he made the Ultimate God Killer."